Category Archives: First Impressions

This happens to be local makeup brand, Breena Beauty’s third product release; an entire eye makeup brush set. I have reviewed the brushes before (Face Luxe brush review here and first impression of second release brushes here) and I will be reviewing two of the second release brushes soon! Don’t what heck I am talking about? Just visit the two posts linked to know more about the company and its origins.

Before we move on, let me first tell you that the brushes are simply gorgeous! I posted a picture on Instgram upon receiving them. Here it is!

How gorgeous are they and that packaging, wow!!!

So the new set comes with two old favourites; the Basic Eyeshadow brush, B212 and Brow Definer brush, B216. I swatched and played around with them so the brushes are stained but when clean, the tips of the bristles are white.

I am not going to write about the two older brushes because you can click on the link to read about that. There’s a little bit of a difference between this new batch and the older one but I shall first use them thoroughly and present them in a proper review.

This was the brush I was most excited about. Not too tightly or loosely packed, the bristles move well yet have some sturdiness to them to distribute pigments and blend them seamlessly.

B213, Crease Blending

Very similar to B211 but flattened a tiny bit (you can see the indent on the ferrule), much like the Zoeva 227. It is soft and comparable to the Zoeva and that’s saying something! It is just as effective as the B211.

B214, Shadow Smudge

Tightly packed short bristles for smudging out eyeliner on the lower lashes or to create a softer eyeliner look. Would work wonders with gel and pencil liners! It could also easily be used to fill in brows with powder and, in a pinch, pack on eyeshadow on the lids.

B215, Pencil Brush

A pencil brush is pretty underrated but it has so many uses! A pencil brush can be used to place product exactly where you want it. This one isn’t too tightly packed so it can be used to smudge and slightly blend too. Perfect for inner corner and browbone highlighting! Again, the brush is well made and perfect for its intended use!

Breena Beauty is an online company so all orders and payments are done online. However, for Malaysians, there are resellers in certain states that offer COD (cash on delivery). An exciting piece of news is that Sabrina (the owner) has finally delved into foreign market by offering international shipping!

For all details, including local resellers, shipping information, price etc., do visit their website and social media, all of which are linked below!

By the way, I am not paid to do this! I just happen to have won the brushes via a giveaway…

To preface this post, the giveaway isn’t at all related to the first impression post.

Moving on….

The Simple Micellar Cleansing Water is finally in Malaysia!!!!!!!!!!!! Wooooohoooo!!!! I spotted it and didn’t think twice to purchase it. AT FULL PRICE!!!! *insert horror sound*

Anyway, I posted a picture up on Instagram earlier today and I’ll just use that picture here.

My thoughts:

I have used it but once, hence the first impression, and it feels very similar to the Biore Cleansing Water (review here). Even tastes bitter (lip swatch removal, so no I don’t go deliberately putting it into my mouth! 😛 ). It isn’t as effective as the Biore Cleansing Water but does leave the skin feeling fresh.

I did read from another beauty blogger that micellar water (or any cleansing water for that matter) shouldn’t be left on the skin on account of all the chemical components in it. I personally concur. I would definitely use it like I do the Maybelline Cleansing Water (review here); for light makeup removal.

For me, the most positive factor is price! At MYR 22.90 for 200ml, it is a steal and I did do the math whereby volume for price, the Simple cleansing water is much cheaper than both the Biore and the Maybelline at full price. Imagine if there was a sale! If I keep using and loving this, I may just stock up when there’s a promotion!

Where to buy; Guardian and Watsons.

OK, on to the exciting part!

GIVEAWAY!

First of all, I apologise to my international readers. This is for my Malaysian readers. Come October I’ll be DEFINITELY doing an international giveaway!

Silkygirl Lash Prism mascara. This was before they came out with the new sticky formula in the yellow tube. Eugh! I loved this for a long time but I want to try out lots and lots more so I am putting this into the mix. It was, in fact, the first product I ever reviewed on FiercePaint (review here).

Essence LipLiner in 08 Red Blush. I love this stuff (review here). It is so creamy it can be used as lipstick.

Silkygirl Expert Brow Slim Liner. I reach for this every time I do my makeup. It is creamy, it blends, it stays put, it lasts long. I have yet to review it but I shall, very soon (first impression post here).

Collection Cream Puff Moisturising Lip Cream in 4 Angel Delight. Dupe for the NYX SMLC in London. NYX is pricier here in Malaysia and this Collection one is a Godsend (post here)!

Ponybrown Happy Sense Hand Cream in Lovely Sweet. I wrote about another scent in an empties post (link here). I like it. It does moisturise and leaves a nice scent behind. No sticky residue.

Guardian brand lip balm; this is something I know little about so, you have got to figure it out! Happy trying (to the winner).

Anna Sui Romantica EDT sample. I got this when I bought a magazine so I decided to throw it into the mix as well. I had another which I gave to mom. The scent is pretty nice.

ChuLip lip balm in Apple Ginger and Tea Rose; I LOVE this stuff (review here). I had two of this, one which I won from a giveaway and another which I had bought prior to winning the giveaway, so I decided I’d give one away.

Adidas bag I got as a free gift. I do already have one so this one is for you! You can keep it or give it to a brother, husband or a boyfriend.

I did say OR which means you only need to follow me on one media and complete Step 1 and 2 for that particular media. Following me on all and completing Step 1 and 2 for each social media will increase your chances as I will consider each of it one entry. So that means one person can have a total of three entries. You don’t have to do everything but doing it all will definitely increase your chances.

The giveaway will last for just over three weeks starting from today and ending on the 9th of July and I’ll pick and notify the winner on the 10th of July. The winner has 48 hours to respond after which I’ll pick another if that person does not respond. Winner will be announced on Facebook FiercePaint page once confirmed.

Like this:

Here in Malaysia, a new makeup product release at the drugstore is really exciting to me because that rarely happens. Maybelline released a few good products this year but nothing I wanted to grab immediately and write about. This one from Silkygirl however, I just had to! It has been awhile since I posted a First Impressions post anyway.

If you happen to be a makeup enthusiast, you’d know that this thin retractable brow pen is kind of a trend that’s very popular (and only just catching in Malaysia). So Silkygirl, I guess, decided to hop on this bandwagon.

The product.

The product inside. It is a nice slim retractable pen.

And there’s a spoolie on the other end.

Swacthes

The blending was done with the spoolie. And it is a colour that kind of disappears into my skin which is kind of a good match for me.

My thoughts:

Based on solely first impressions, I am kind of loving this product so far. But there are a few things I’ve noticed if I nitpick.

The end where the product is dispensed doesn’t come with a cap which may drive some people crazy. Pretty unsettling right? But the head-scratcher is that the spoolie has a cap instead *eyebrows raised*.

With that being said, the spoolie is absolute crap; it’s hard and scratchy.

The amount of product is measly. My other Silkygirl brow pencil has 1.14 g (o.o4 fl.oz.) of product whereas this one has only 0.12g (0.004 fl.oz.).

Although not exactly drugstore, NYX makeup brand prices are within drugstore range and NYX is the single most affordable makeup brand at Sephora.

The NYX Soft Matte Lip Creams (SMLC) has an almost cult following among the YouTube beauty community so I said hey, it’s about time I tried it out. So I picked up a nude colour that I can actually use.

It is a liquid to matte lip product that dries and sets on the skin. The shade I have here is a brownish nude colour perfect for tanned skin people. It smells like dessert and I absolutely love that! It has a mousse-y texture and it is pretty long lasting. Overall I really do think this lip cream is pretty amazing. The darker colours may be trickier to work with. LOVE!!!

Breena Beauty is a local brand which happens to be the brainchild of Sabrina Tajudin, a Malaysian beauty blogger (blog link here). Having released her first product which was a makeup brush launched on the 4th of May 2015, she has finally unveiled her latest products, two more makeup brushes; an eyeshadow brush and an angled brow brush. I have written a first impression post for the Face Luxe brush which was her first product (here) and the review will come soon enough.

For a beauty blogger I am very messy huh? The brushes are double bubble-wrapped, something everyone can appreciate!

That’s much better.

Again, I love the personal touch with a handwritten thank you note.

The brushes now come with codes and a label indicating their names on the packaging.

There’s a nice description on the back of the boxes.

Tada!!! She kept to the theme of the previous brush of white and gold.

The logo. Engraved in gold colour.

The eyeshadow brush.

The brow brush.

The bristles.

Comparison with the Face Luxe brush.

My thoughts:

Description; Soft synthetic brushes that are vegan, cruelty free and Muslim friendly. The bristles are the same bristles that were used for the Face Luxe brush. Wooden handles with a white finish, have the descriptive fonts and logo engraved on them in gold. The ferrule is rose gold metal.

B212 Basic Eyeshadow; The bristles are flat which means it can pick up and deposit eyeshadows very well on the eyelids. The bristles are very soft and the brush itself seem very sturdy. Overall very aesthetically pleasing design.

B216 Brow Definer; Same bristles, densely packed flat angled brush that is especially designed to cater for the eyebrows. Sabrina claims that it can be used for drawing on a winged liner which is achievable, but in all honesty, the winged liner would not be the thinnest or the sharpest because the bristles aren’t flat enough. However, it is perfect to pack gel liner or even eyeshadow along the eye to give the eyes definition for a sultry soft look.

I am loving these brushes from Breena Beauty thus far and I anxiously await her next unveiling! These are, to me at least, the two most essential brushes to own if you are looking to get your makeup flawless! When I first started purchasing makeup the first two brushes that I ever bought were an eyeshadow and an angled brush, very similar to these two brushes.

They do not ship internationally at present time although they are working towards it. I’ll be sure to write an update should this option become available.

Like this:

First of all, I have written a review on the Essence Lip Liners HERE and they are simply amazing!!!

Don’t take my word for it, I’ll link videos of YouTubers that like this product. The first one is a video by Tati, a.k.a GlamLifeGuru, and if you don’t know who she is I suggest you check her out on YouTube because she is amazing!!! The link is below;

(if you wanna skip to the part she talks about the lip liners, it starts at 5.42 minutes). She is an American makeup guru and she loves the Essence Lip Liners.

Now, Essence recently released a new set of lip liners and they come in a twistable pen mechanism! They are called the Longlasting Lipliners and these are just as amazing as the pencil ones. I couldn’t resist after I saw and swatched them in Watsons. I was supposed to post a review of a set of brushes but decided to post this instead!

Nothing to shout out about the packaging. A very standard twist-up pen.

Plum Cake. Nice name ain’t it? It is a gorgeous mauve colour.

The product.

Gorgeous colour!

My thoughts:

If you read my review, you already know how I feel about the original ones and these are no different. It is nicely pigmented, very opaque (I have very dark lips), glides on like a dream and appears matte.

I also have a video of a YouTube makeup tutorial by Evangeline Hawa. She is a local YouTuber and she is pretty amazing too! Her talk-through makeup tutorials are very narrative and she tells you why she uses each technique she does! She apparently loves these lip liners too! The video link is as below;

(if you wanna skip to the part she talks about the lip liners, it starts at 10.06 minutes).

Look out for a proper review in the future. Meanwhile, if you drop by Watsons do swatch them. The original lip liners cost MYR 7.30 and these new ones are MYR 8.90 (including GST; sorry, we Malaysians are still getting used to GST). MYR 8.90!!! What have you got to loose besides the MYR 8.90??!!!

Yes, I hear your cries! Please bear with me though. I WILL be moving on to more of the eyes and face makeup after this! I promise!!!

So here we go.

Wet n Wild is an American brand that produces some of the most affordable makeup products, sought after by makeup enthusiasts around the world! They produce every kind of makeup product; from eyeshadows, lipsticks, mascaras to makeup brushes and nail polish. Wet n Wild isn’t very popular in Malaysia because they hit shelves just last year (2014) and were only available online prior to that. Their products are cruelty-free which is commendable and they are available in selected Sasa stores all over Malaysia. However, they do cost a lot more here than they do back in the USA.

Pictures!!!

Although not clear, the brand name is printed across the tube cover.

The product inside. It is a bright pink colour!

Description and name of the shade on the bottom of the tube.

A swatch. It is a pink colour lipstick with a matte finish.

My thoughts;

It is a matte hot pink lipstick and I really like it! A friend of mine used it with another lipstick to bring down its intensity and it lasted her all 4 hours before she wiped it off (granted, she was not eating). The reason I wanted to share this product is because it is a pink colour that would flatter a wide range of skin tones! With Indian, deeper warmer skin tones, darling, you can rock this pink lipstick! There isn’t a distinctive smell or taste to it but it is one of those swipe-once-to-get-colour-payoff kind of lipstick. Colour selection is also impressive. A larger Sasa outlet that carries the brand may have all 26 shades of the lisptick. YES! 26!!! There’s definitely a colour for everyone!

There are three issues with this lipstick that personally annoy me. First of all the formula is pretty thick so when applying, it does slightly tug on the lips. Second, the packaging flails after the tenth time the tube is opened and closed. The cover becomes loose, it cracks up with a lil’ rough play (no pun intended), and there isn’t a great element of design to it. Third and last is, when the lipstick is initially being used, a portion of it is not fully covered by the bottom part of the tube. This portion that protrudes out from the tube can be easily scraped by the cover when closing it.

However, all these issues aside, the lisptick itself is simply amazing! It wears well, it is opaque and colour selection is mind blowing!

It retails at MYR 21.90 at Sasa and about MYR 17 via the online store Colours Cosmetics Malaysia. However, I got it as a prize for entering a makeup competition and it is thus mine, even if I didn’t pay for it 😉 .

Like this:

I caved in! I finally gave in to temptation and bought the palette; Maybelline The Nudes. In Malaysia, eyeshadow palettes are available at the drugstores but they’re mostly trios and quads. A full on palette with 12 different shades may just be the first of its kind in the drugstore makeup range in Malaysia. I have a reason (maybe not a good reason, but hey, I don’t call myself a makeup enthusiast for nothing) for buying this palette which I’ll get to later.

Well, here we go, pictures!

The palette.

The shadows. If you see a red dot on the shadow, it means that they are matte shades.

Close up.

Close up.

The description on the back is really informative. It gives you instruction on how to fully utilise the palette. Here, it shows the palette being used as quads.

Guide to use it as trios.

And another guide to use it as duos.

The applicator is a sponge-tip applicator. Don’t throw this out! Use it to smudge eyeliner for a smokey look!!!

I also have pictures of some swatches.

Without flash

The top row, in order from left to right.

Bottom row, in order, from left to right.

With flash

Top row.

Bottom row.

My thoughts:

Eyeshadow palettes, especially one with 12 shades, is a very new concept in the drugstore in Malaysia. So I just had to have it. It actually hit shelves earlier this month but I only just picked it out for a good reason. I am person who is crazy about sales and discounts! At least 90% of drugstore makeup in my collection was purchased with a discount or with a special offer. The palette was on sale for 30% off (purchase with purchase) with a minimum of MYR 20 spent or purchase of any Watsons brand item. Original price is MYR 69.90, it costs MYR 48.95 with the 30% off. The palette is exclusive to Watsons and only selected Watsons carry them so I’d suggest looking for it in the biggest and most crowded shopping complex (in your area/state) with a Watsons; that’s the Watsons store that would most probably have it.

The packaging is sleek and simple; a no nonsense simple black plastic palette with the name in silver. It doesn’t have a mirror attached and it comes with a sponge tip applicator.

As for the shadows itself, just from the hand swatches, I would say it is either a fabulous hit or somewhat a miss. Some shades are very pigmented and buttery smooth while some are not as pigmented and a little patchy and streaky. I am especially loving the fourth colour on the top row (from the left) and the third and fourth colours on the bottom row (from the left). Some colours swatch completely different than they look in the palette. I have yet to fully utilise the palette and will definitely put it to use whenever I can. I would need to test it out with a primer and see how it applies and blends on the eyelids in addition to monitoring its staying power.

Covo Cosmetics is a local brand founded by Julie Wong and Kerrie Hess. Both women have had a long list of affiliations with big brand names. They believe in ‘Luxe for Less’; the Covo Cosmetics message. The brand definitely has a luxury look to it and it definitely costs much less but if one was to pay retail for the products they offer, I would rate it mid-range/high end drugstore in price range. However, the really great thing about Covo is that they offer discounts periodically throughout the year and that’s when I’ll usually look out for anything that may strike my fancy. So when they announced their 50% to 70% discounts I rushed to their booth and stood there for a good half hour (or more) and picked out, among others, this lipstick. It is the Intensified Lipstick in the shade Mysterious.

Yes, my favourite part, pictures!!!

The product.

Ingredients list on the side of the box.

Descriptions on the back.

They did think about aesthetics which is reflected in these logo prints on the inner surface of the box.

The lipstick.

SURPRISE! There’s a mirror tucked perfectly on the tube cover.

The lipstick shade printed on the bottom of the tube.

It is a lovely warm brick red colour. I did fall in love with the colour!

Although it seems semi matte here it actually has a glossy finish (not from any kind of glitter).

My thoughts:

I love the colour, the finish and the scent. It is a gorgeous lipstick. The lovely pop up mirror is a nice touch. It glides on smoothly, it is opaque, pigmented, and does not dry out the lips. It retails at MYR 49 but I bought it at 50% (MYR 24.50) which is drugstore price and definitely affordable. I have attached a .gif image of the mirror pop up mechanism.

Catrice Cosmetics is a fairly new makeup brand and one of those up and coming names in the beauty industry. Their prices are VERY affordable and their products are pretty good in quality. They even have makeup brushes! The brand was founded by the company Cosnova Beauty, based in Germany; they are the same company that founded Essence Cosmetics, another favourite makeup brand of mine. Essence is exclusive to Watsons and Catrice is exclusive to Guardian. What I have today is two eyeshadows from their Liquid Metal Eyeshadow collection. The interesting thing about this collection is the eyeshadows are named after rock songs! How cool is that???!!!

The product. Yes, I got two of them.

Two lovely colours aren’t they!

The first colour is a greyish mauve colour. And it’s called “Mauves Like Jagger”.

The second colour is a dark emerald green and it is such a unique and gorgeous colour! It’s called “What Do You Sea?”

Description on the bottom of the packaging.

I also took some shots of hand swatches.

Without flash

Mauves Like Jagger

What Do You Sea? (yes the name is printed with the question mark)

With flash.

Mauves Like Jagger

What Do You Sea?

My thoughts:

They are single eyeshadows that comes in 9 different shades. It is metallic, shiny and has lots of micro glitter! It is also buttery and soft. They are highly pigmented! The swatches that you see are done with merely ONE swipe with little pressure on the product AND swiped with just ONE stroke on the back of my hand. They are available at Guardian and be sure to look out for promotions (I bought them at 30% off and it cost me MYR 15.30 per eyeshadow). That is all I can say for the product at the moment. I’ll test it out and definitely write a whole review on them! Meanwhile, go try some Catrice makeup, they even have eyeshadow palettes!!!